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MDCCCXXII. 






205449 
'13 : 






THOUGHTS, 

Suggested by a Passage in " Dv Moulin on Peace of 

Mind/' on leaving Stansted, to go to Russia, 

23rd July x 1817. 



" Comme l'aiguille da quadran marin, qui se tient si ferine 
" vers le Nord, sans varier au milieu des plus grandes tempetes 
1 ' se tourne en un instant vers le sud, quand on a passe la ligne 
" Equinoctiale, et s'y tient avec la meme fermete aussi long 
iC terns qu'elle est dans cette hemisphere. De meme celui qui est 
" sage et homme de bien, est ferme dans ses resolutions tandis 
" que le devoir l'y oblige; mais si son devoir Pappelle a des 
" nouvelles resolutions, il sait accommoder sa volonte a ^on 
" devoir." 



Where cold Arcturus holds his sullen reign, 
And snow-girt whirlwinds sweep the wintry main ; 
Turn'd to one object, to one impulse true, 
The faithful needle keeps the north in view ; 
But where meridian suns more genial shine, 
And Day and Night divide the burning line, 



How quick the transit of magnetic power ! 
From north to south, the chang'ling of an hour! 
Direction diverse, but design the same, 
Alike indifferent to frost or flame ! 
The Christian thus — once touched by grace divine, 
Steers his strait course by one unerring line ; 
No Siren song his listening ear can charm, 
No tempest terrify, no storms alarm ; 
Where duty summons — leaving all behind, 
His will obeys the magnet of his mind, 
That line transversed — he cannot deviate far, 
Sway'd by the virtue of his polar star ! 
Though chang'd his course — his tendency is true? 
His Masters will to suffer and to do. 
That will determines his to either pole, 
Constraining Love the compass of his soul! 



BORODINO. 



TO 

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY ALEXANDER, 

EMPEROR OF ALL THE RUSSIAS. 



" Les Russes ont mis le fen a Moscou, pour que le 
M martyre (Tune ville sainte, sauvale monde Chretien. " 

Madame de Sta*1, vol. i. p. 406. 



Hor, Lib. i. Ode 2. 



Enough of storm and wintry blast ! 
For lo ! the tyranny is past, 

Napoleon meets his doom ; 
Witness, ye piles of frozen, slain ! 
That burn on Borodino's plain, 

Infatuate Gallia's tomb. 



Provoked by her infuriate pride, 
The Russian turns the battle's tide, 

As oft in days of old. 
No more to foreign foe be paid, 
The tribute once by Tartar laid 

For safety bought with gold. 

Let Krasnoi say, — KALOUGAtell, 
How many thousands fought and fell 

Beneath the cannon's roar; 
The forest and the flood declare, 
The prey of famine and despair, 

How many thousands more. 

E'en nature turns against the man, 
Who dares denounce her ordered plan. 

With murderous intent ; 
Commissioned by the angry north, 
The snow-girt whirlwind rushes forth, 

On summary vengeance sent . 



In vain the timely warning came, 
Of foul defeat, and future shame 

That lurked unseen behind ; 
Ambition has nor eye nor ear, 
Till swift reverse awaken fear, 

Her votary is blind 1 

While first invoking Nature's God, 
Whose mercy swayed the chastening rod, 

Ere yet the conflict cease, 
The Monarch of the frigid zone, 
Upholding his Imperial throne, 

Anticipated Peace ! 

What if the venerable wall 
Of Kremlin's crested turret fall 

In one ill-fated hour, 
No sudden unpropitious blaze 
The consecrated vault shall raze, 

Of Ivan's gilded tower. 



No flame shall touch Kalita's shrine. 
Where Czars and Patriarchs recline 

Each in his marble bed, 
And chaunted oft the solemn rite, 
Where silver lamp, and taper, light 

The living, and the dead . 

The cross, the glittering belfry bore, 
The sacrilegious victor tore, 

And grasped an empty fame ; 
Nor sooner won the golden toy, 
Than Moscow mocked his frantic joy, 

In martyrdom, and flame ! 

Posterity had yet to learn 

How domes and palaces could burn, 

Invaded by a Gaul ; 
How soon in fortune's fickle hour, 
A tyrant's maddening giddy power 

Accelerates his fall . 



Mantled in clouds of driven snow 
See the reluctant recreant go, 

A wretched life to save ! 
The few that cover his retreat, 
Fall intercepted at his feet 

In Berezina's wave . 

For scarcely cross' d the fatal Hood, 
Than wreckless of his comrades blood, 

He blew the bridge in air ! 
Oh ! what a look he cast behind, 
Could horror. fill up such a mind, 

Its plenitude was there ! 

The wreck of the deserted crew, 
With torpid limbs-and livid hue, 

Proclaim from whence they come ; 
Or bound in -icy chains they lie, 
Or driven by the whirlwind fly 

To reach their native home. 



Contagion follows close behind, 
And fever burns in ev'ry wind, 

The mark of wrath divine ; 
The step of death's impetuous dance, 
Recoils upon imperial France, 

And desolates the Rhine. 

But not th' iEmathian's vaunted name, 
Nor Washington, thy well-earned fame, 

With brighter lustre shine ; 
Than his who in disastrous hour, 
Placed not his trust in human power, 

But Providence divine. 

Born of Romanow's sainted race, 
Imperial Czar ! in thine we tr^ce 

An origin above ; 
Born of the spirit and the word* 
Truth shall thy christian deeds record, 

As works of faith and love. 



O may thy gracious soul reciete 
The tribute rescued nations give ; 

May no discordant strife, 
Nor civil or domestic broil 
Defeat thy patriotic toil, 

Or seek thy sacred life ! 

Patriarch Prince ! thy lengthened days 
May triumph end, and endless praise ; 

And may the impious Gaul 
As oft as he shall dare invade 
In warfare's storm, or treason's shade, 

As often prostrate fall. 

Can Elba chain the restless mind 
That lords in thought o'er all mankind, 

And scorns a pigmy reign ? 
What means shall thwart the mighty plan ? 
O Wellington! be thou the man, 

And Waterloo the plain ? 



Thou sea-girt rock ! volcanic womb ! 
Be thou deposed Napoleon's tomb ; 

From Gallia's footstool hurled ! 
Be Alexander's blessed fate, 
In Holy League confederate, 

To pacify the World! 



£&L 



Composed on ike Plains of Borodins, 
18th March, 1818. 



THE GRAVE OF HOWARD. 



WRITTEN ON THE PLAINS OF CHERSON, 

May 1818. 



O ! Friend of Man ! beloved of God ! 
Thy grave by Christian pilgrims trod, 

To Christian memory dear! 
Demands a tributary si<rh, 
And draws from sympathetic eye, 

Compassion's holy tear ! 

For not the World's expanse to scan, 
But search and sooth the woes of man, 

Thy foot-steps hither bent, 
Outstrip the proud oppressor's claim, 
And prison walls record a name 

That needs no monument. 



Yet, Howard ! where thy bones are laid, 
Imperial tribute shall be paid 

From Caesar's liberal store ;* 
Friend of humanity, like thee, 
Caesar to set the captive free, 

Unbars the prison door ! 

" Prisoners of hope ! ,J to whom belong 
The promises of sacred song ; 

" Lift up your eyes and see," 
Jerusalem in bonds below ! 
At length — thy great Deliverer know, 

Like that above — be free ! 



* The Emperor Alexander visited the grave of 
Howard, during his journey to the Southern Provinces 
of Russia, and ordered a monument to be erected on the 
spot to the memory of this distinguished philanthropist. 
His Imperial Majesty had apportioned a tract of land 
in the adjoining district as an Asylum for converted 
Jews. — — See Imperial Ukases, dated St* Petersburg, 
Easter Sunday, 26th March, 1817, 



Ye bones that in the valley shake, 
The bands of death and darkness break, 

Start up to life anew ! 
The voice that calls the captive forth, 
Says, to the Cyrus of the north, 

" Come— I have called you !" * 

Nor Britons only leave their isle, 
That Freedom's animating smile 

May cheer the dungeon's gloom ; 
But soon the Saviour's face divine, 
On each imprisoned soul shall shine, 

And speak his " kingdom come ! m 



* ISAIAH, CHAP. XLI. 

t. J3.— " I HAVE RAISED UP ONE FROM TILE 
" NORTH, AND HE SHALL COME." 

" J'appellerai du septentrion votre LIBERATEUR. ,, 

Fr. Trans. 

V. 21.—" I WILL GIVE TO JERUSALEM ONE 
" THAT BRINGETH GOOD TIDINGS." 



SONNE T, 

TO 

O. B. S. 



As once, Olivia ! with submission mild, 
Thou didst to God resign thy darling child ; 
Again to sooth a tender parent's care, 
He grants another to thy fervent prayer ! 

Bids thee by faith in foreign regions roam, 
To give thee love, and joy, and peace at home ; 
Leads thee about new lessons to supply, 
And keeps thee " as the apple of his eye !" 

In mercy chastened — by privation proved, 
He shines through clouds on one He ever loved ; 
Oh ! may his favour make THE chosen YOUTH 
A Son in. Spirit, and a Saint in Truth ! 
Thus be to thee a double blessing given, 
A Child of God on earth — of Man in Heaven ! 

Sept. 3, 1822. 



THE NATIVITY 



Refulgent orb ! sovereign of day and light, 
And thou, pale Cynthia, queen of gloomy night ! 
Ye countless stars — ye creatures of his word,, 
Hail and adore your universal Lord ! 
O'er all, his presence graciously presides, 
His spirit animates, his wisdom guides, 
Whose hands have fashioned them— to mat* alone 
He gave his dearest gift, his only Son; 
A God incarnate comes from sin to save, 
His form a servant, and bis doom a grave ! 

For ah ! no purple stole, no regal state, 
No worldly pomps the Prince of Peace await ; 
No vaulted roofs with acclamations ring, 
Proclaiming Jesus, born as Judah's king ! 
Nor trump, nor clarion tell the mystery done, 
When David's Lord appears as David's Son ! 
A lowly manger is the Saviour's bed, 
Whilst wondering spirits watch around his head ! 
No mortal strains triumphant notes prolong, 
But choirs celestial chant his natal song. 



And lo! what gifts are these? what eastern sage 
Has found " the father of the future age/' 
And brings to him, whom Bosor's seer foretold, 
Arabian myrrh, and frankincense, and gold? 
No priests of Aaron's tribe, no prophets kneel, 
To venerate their holy child Immanuel ; 
But star-led Magi prostrate now adore 
The God by Pagan rites profaned before ; 
Meanwhile, astonished by a glorious light, 
Shepherds there were, watching their flocks by night, 
To whom the Angel of the Lord appears, 
And thus addressing, quelled their rising fears : 
u Tidings of good, and joy to you I bring— - 
" To you is born this day, a Savtour King ! 
** To Bethlehem haste — in David's town behold 
u Fulfilled at length, the prophecy of old. 
" Would you a sign ? then Bethlehem's manger see, 
" For that's the place of Christ's nativity I" 
He spake— anon the heavenly host began, 
Be " peace on earth " (for thus the message ran), 
" Glory to God on high, goodwill to man !" 

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